facial feedback hypothesis
the idea that facial expressions can influence emotions as well as reflect them
The facial feedback hypothesis is a theory that suggests that facial expressions can influence and even regulate emotional experiences. In other words, the expressions we make with our faces can impact our emotional experiences and how we feel.
Research has shown that when people are instructed to make certain facial expressions, such as smiling or frowning, they report feeling the corresponding emotion more strongly. For example, if people are instructed to hold a pen between their teeth, which creates a smile-like expression, they report feeling happier than those who held a pen between their lips, which creates a frown-like expression.
Studies have also found that people who have problems with facial muscles, such as those with Botox injections, report lower levels of emotional experiences, reinforcing the link between facial expressions and emotions.
Therefore, the facial feedback hypothesis suggests that our facial expressions play an important role in regulating and expressing our emotions.
More Answers:
The Neural Basis of Emotion and Memory: Insights from Neuroscientist Joseph LeDouxUnderstanding Emotions: The Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory Explored
The James-Lange Theory of Emotion: Exploring the Connection between Physiology and Emotion in Social Science.